I can't say I'm surprised. Bush took a lot of heat from his own party for his earlier nomination of a Moderate Republican, Harriet Miers. (I once heard a Republican Capitol Hill staffer refer to moderate appointees as "wishy-washy types.") Bush also took heat from the whole world--pundits, bloggers, Congressmen--for his earlier appointment of a joke of a candidate, also Harriet Miers. (Note: I have nothing against Ms. Miers other than that she was a terrible nominee for the Supreme Court. I really have no idea what Bush was thinking when he nominated her, or what she was thinking when she accepted.) So now instead of an unqualified moderate, we have a qualified right-winger.

I'm not sure how I feel. On one hand, I feel a sense of relief knowing that the nominee has at least some basic knowledge of, and experience with, Constitutional law--copious knowledge and extensive experience, in fact. On the other hand, he seems ok with the strip-searching of 10-year-old girls. That's just plain scary. And you never know when you might need your civil liberties. Or an abortion. That's why I want someone more "wishy-washy" on the Court.

Tags: Supreme Court, SCOTUS, Samuel Alito